Badge in Azure

Chapter 139: Badge in Azure (Part 2)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In Saleen eyes, the water elements within the space had been arranged clearly and were moving around in a complicated sequence within the space. Even though they had already become more than a hundred times less dense, their enormous strength still left Saleen immobile.

Saleen quietly appreciated them. He began to remember the contents of the book that Joey had given him. The different forms of the water elements had been imprinted within his brain, and whatever he had not understood in the past now became much clearer.

Joey's book had been intricate and many of its words had needed to be analyzed with magic formulae to make them easier to read. Otherwise, Saleen would not have been able to understand anything. However, right now, the water elements before his eyes were the best teachers, using the most direct method to allow Saleen to understand the truths of the water element.

Moreover, in these forms, a horrifying energy was concealed within. It was not energy of the light or dark type, but was something stronger. Saleen still could not figure out what this energy was, but he knew that this seventh type of energy was not something beyond his imagination.

If he was able to live through this, sooner or later he would be able to grasp this form of energy. Saleen knew that so long as he became a sorcerer, his focus would continue to grow and he would be able to analyze the laws behind this form of energy.

His thirst for survival was revived and Saleen's heart began to beat faster, the badge within his hands giving off a blue light as well. Within the bolt of lightning etched into the center of the badge, a pool of blue liquid moved along with the rhythm of Saleen's heartbeat. Just as Saleen began to feel that he would not be able to handle the elemental powers flowing into his body, this blue liquid began to vibrate intensely and tried to escape from the bolt of lightning, directly entering Saleen's body.

After the blue liquid entered his body, Saleen could move his arms and legs again. Moreover, the magic chords within his body continued to expand and were crazily absorbing all of the water elements within the space.

This feeling was something that Saleen was familiar with. He… was about to advance again.

This time, he did not notice the true changes going on inside of his body. As the blue liquid flowed directly into his magic chords, it dyed them an azure blue color.

Every mage worked towards controlling a balance of all six types of elements, and even though they had preferences when it came to researching them, the magic chords inside of their bodies would still possess all six colors.

Saleen's magic chords were an azure color that had never been seen before. If he had been able to look inside of his own body, he would have seen branched magic chords as pure as Youlian rock. These pure magic chords were over ten times thicker than when he had only been Grade 3, and the twenty-four branches had even more branches spreading out from them. This was where humans and magic beasts differed. Magic beasts could not control the depletion of their magic chords and Grade 4 magic beasts could only release Grade 4 magic. However, through their branched magic chords, humans could deplete their magic chords in the most logical way possible.

Saleen was clueless about all of this and only felt the enormous force of expansion within his body lessening. The growth of his focus had left him speechless. Only now did Saleen understand the gap between a grand mage and a low-grade mage. This had to do with the growth of one's focus and their magic chords. Once there was a breakthrough in the magic chords, advancing from Grade 3 to Grade 4 would lead to an explosive growth in focus. Even without the help of the badge, the extent of his growth had been pretty terrifying.

When he had been Grade 3, Saleen had not even been able to calculate an attack from a Grade 1 mage during an actual battle. Now, however, he had never felt his focus so energized, and his senses had become more acute with their growth.

With a gulp, Saleen swallowed the magic liquid that he had been keeping in his mouth, and his body's energy started coming back to him.

Moving his limbs, Saleen looked left and right. The space made up of water elements had not broken down, it just could not control him any longer. Saleen walked forward more than ten meters, and at the front was a shimmering screen. This was a wall of energy that had been created by the water elements.

A blue light shimmered within Saleen's eyes as he began calculating the weak spots of this wall of energy.

After a while, Saleen realized that he could not calculate any weak spots in the movements of these water elements. They were moving so fast that even an instantaneous spell would not have been able to capture them. Even if he did manage to calculate the weak spots of the energy wall, he would not be able to break through it.

He did not give up. If it had been in the past, he would not have even been able to calculate these weak spots. Since promoting, Saleen had not gained any new abilities, but the effects of his icy sight had greatly increased to a terrifying extent. He could even see past the energy wall that had been created by a Grade 10 mage.

Saleen also knew that if it had been an energy wall created by any other type of element, he would not have been able to see anything. Even so, this ability was incredibly useful.

Most defensive magic was concentrated in Water Magic and Ground Magic, and when a mage added magic to a swordsman, most of them added Water Magic. Water-type defensive magic would not affect the movement of a swordsman.

In future battles, Saleen would encounter water-type defensive magic at least forty percent of the time.

Saleen took out the witcher spider and placed it at his feet. It pounced onto the energy wall and moved around its front legs. Traces of lines were stirred along the energy wall, but not a single hole could be torn in it for the spider to climb through.

Saleen knew that no matter how extraordinary the witcher spider was, it would not be able to surpass Grade 4 and would cause little to no destruction on a spell Grade 7 or above. However, he did not stop manipulating the witcher spider. The energy wall was activated from a magic array and was almost like a giant enclosed magic shield, being very similar to the water shield that he had modified.

Seeing how the witcher spider had no effect on the energy wall, Saleen had already been able to learn something from that. It was impossible to shift the motion of a magic array onto an independent spell, as the two had different principles of activation. However, the movement of the energy could still be calculated. Saleen observed the vibrations of the water elements that were created from the witcher spider's attacks and committed the defense mechanism to his memory.

Saleen believed that given half a year, he would be able to completely modify the water shield. Creating a new spell would allow the underlying principles of the water shield to be the same as those of the energy wall. Even a weapon that could pierce through magic would not be able to break down the water shield, as the shield would only absorb the energy. Saleen had started growing cautious after seeing the golden arrow from Holzer that had hurt the behemoth's eye. There were many magic weapons in the world and they had thousands of properties. If they were not careful, a grand mage could be assassinated by an assassin under Grade 4.

Saleen only put away the witcher spider once it had used up its magic nucleus. Being confined in this space, the only solution that Saleen could think of was to use his clan badge again. He had no idea why the badge had reacted differently earlier. However, if he was trapped in here, he would starve to death sooner or later. There were no disadvantages to experimenting.

Holding the badge in his left hand, Saleen stuck the badge onto the energy wall and released a Grade 0 spell. This time, the blue light from the badge shone in front of Saleen's eyes and he saw damage on the invisible wall. What surprised Saleen was not the fact that he could now escape, but rather, he realized that this time the badge had merely absorbed his physical strength and half of his focus and magic chords.

Lex had been waiting anxiously outside of the magic tower when suddenly, the space within the doors disappeared. She saw Saleen standing there exhausted, his shoulder slumped.

Lex immediately released a Chunlin spell and a green mist was absorbed into Saleen's body, helping him recover.

"How are you?" Lex asked in worry. However, she quickly realized that something was different about him. His exhaustion was not fake. Even with the help of the Chunlin spell, he was still too weak to move. The elemental waves from his body did not escape her eyes, even with the concealing abilities of the demon equipment. However, Saleen was too weak to fully activate the powers of the demon equipment, and to Lex's surprise, he had promoted again.

Promoting two grades in succession in less than two months, from a low-grade mage to a grand mage. Something like this had been unheard of in the entire history of the Qin Empire.

For the first time, Lex was unable to hide her shocked expression, looking at Saleen with a dazed look.

She was one of the most gifted mages and had the best resources and wealth, yet she had taken nearly three years to promote from Grade 3 to Grade 4. This threshold was a lifelong obstacle for many, and was even harder than the formation of magic chords.

Forming magic chords was a matter of constitution. However, from Grade 3 to Grade 4, there were many difficult obstacles to cross.

"Lex, I think I need to sleep for a while." Saleen wearily took a step forward as Nailisi supported him. He laid down softly on Nailisi's body and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

Lex did not have much to ask anyways. She looked curiously at the sleeping Saleen. He had a relaxed expression, and the youthful glow on his face was completely gone. He no longer had a fake smile on his face, and was no longer the inexperienced youth he had been before.

This change was not sudden; however, he had just experienced the threat of death, and that had destroyed whatever innocence he'd had left and caused him to completely mature at heart. This small change had led to him appearing completely different.

If a person was able to stare death in the face without any evil thoughts in their mind, it showed that such a person had completely matured.

Lex brought out a carpet and laid it on the ground as Nailisi placed Saleen down and sat beside him. She could feel Saleen's abilities increasing and was also overjoyed. With Saleen's promotion, her focus would increase too. It would not take long for her to awaken another ability, a trait that only demons possessed.

Lex took a look at the door in front. Once they went through the second door, it would be the first floor of the magic tower. She held back her urge to rush in and brought out two other carpets. Giving one to Sika, she laid down as well.

The door had been opened by Saleen and she did not want to enter alone. Since she had been young, she had always strictly followed the fair rules of mages. This perseverance had led to her having a very pure focus with few imperfections. The legacy her father had chosen for her had allowed her to promote to a Grade 5 mage in less than ten years.

Saleen laid on the carpet, sleeping soundly. He was still holding onto the clan badge, and on the lightning symbol at its center, the blue light had disappeared completely, almost as if it had never existed.